PostOffice venue launches weekly co-working days in Newcastle

After talking about bringing co-working days to Newcastle since April 2011, I’m pleased to announce that we are finally going to start doing them at our PostOffice venue in Newcastle every Friday, starting with a FREE launch event on 3rd August (9am-5pm).

The PostOffice also has a new Facebook Page at www.facebook.com/PostOfficeNE1 to go with the pre-existing Twitter profile @PostOfficeNE1. Please help spread the word by sharing the press release / information below as widely as possible and attending yourself if you can by booking your FREE ticket at: http://postofficelaunch.eventbrite.com

PostOffice @ 5 Pink Lane, Newcastle upon Tyne

[PRESS RELEASE]

‘PostOffice’ venue launches weekly co-working days in Newcastle

PostOffice, the venue for weekly, after work events for North East based developers, designers and tech start-ups, is to start hosting daytime co-working events every Friday starting on 3rd August.

Inspired by his visits to co-working spaces like TechHub and Google Campus in London, Newcastle-based entrepreneur and digital marketing expert Paul Lancaster (aka @lordlancaster) has spent the past 12 months trying to build a community of similar, like-minded people in the North East by opening the doors of the venue to local developer and user groups every Tuesday evening.

Situated on Pink Lane (directly opposite Newcastle Central Station), the former old post office is owned by local enterprise agency PNE Group (aka Project North East) who have been supporting small businesses since 1980 and have helped that part of the city become known as a Tech Quarter once dubbed ‘Silicon Alley’ by offering low-cost workspace and high speed internet since the 90’s.

The PostOffice now plays host to weekly, after work events by PHP North East, Ruby North East, Javascript North East and Design Interest which are ran by volunteers (including Lancaster) for the sole purpose of promoting collaboration, ideas and skill sharing in the North East.

Lancaster said ‘Around 100 people in total now come to the PostOffice events with a great deal of crossover between the different user groups which has led to some interesting collaborations and ideas for new projects including a design-themed conference planned for August’.

‘Apart from giving people the chance to learn something new in a relaxed, informal setting, the events are as much about spending time with your friends and peers with the conversations that take place afterwards in the nearby Town Wall and Forth pubs being an important aspect of the community feel which is apparent in the North East tech scene right now’.

Co-working is a concept that has been around for a while now, particularly in the US and London but Lancaster feels that it’s only recently that technology has made it truly possible for people to do it and still feel like they are being just as productive, if not more so than being sat in a traditional office.

He said, ‘the nature of my work (website management/digital marketing) means that I can literally work from anywhere with a Wi-Fi or 3G signal and in fact do a lot of my work on the move through my smartphone. You see people working in coffee shops but they’re not really suitable and there’s a limit to how long you can realistically stay there without upsetting the staff and fellow customers.’

‘Co-working is the modern way to work and brings an added benefit to participants by providing the space for serendipitous conversations and networking opportunities which a traditional office worker or home worker would usually miss out on.’

The format is simple. Co-workers bring their laptop / tablet, phone and business cards, and we provide the space, inspiring people and free coffee from our neighbours @PinkLaneCoffee. The launch event is free to attend but tickets must be booked at http://postofficelaunch.eventbrite.com

If people would like to know more about the co-working days or evening events that are taking place at the PostOffice, they should Follow them on Twitter @PostOfficeNE1 or ‘Like’ them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/PostOfficeNE1

Downloads:
- [PRESS RELEASE] PostOffice venue launches weekly co-working days in Newcastle
- The Journal (25th Aug 2011) - Co-working offers the best of both worlds

One thought on “PostOffice venue launches weekly co-working days in Newcastle

  1. Pingback: Co-working comes to Newcastle | Plan Digital UK

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